Anyone have suggestions on the best way to solo right a H16? I know the boat is supposed to require about 225 lbs or so to right, and with crew, I have no problem righting the boat (I weigh about 150).

My problem is, I often sail solo and like to play - hence my dilema. I currently use a righting bucket (from Salty Dog Marine...about 27" tall x 18" in diameter), with blocks attached and the EZ Right, shock cord righting line. I attach the bucket to the righting line, haul the bucket up, and lean out with the bucket's line over my shoulder to add to "my weight" The problem is, with this setup, I never seem to get enough leverage on the boat. I can get the mast of the water, but never get it over the hump. Has anyone had any luck with these buckets? Do these things really work? Or am I missing some magical technique involved here?

BTW - Fortunately, my mast doesn't fill up with water and I do try to get the mast rotated into the wind to use the wind to help.

When I was heavier-180+, I could right my 16 solo with good winds and luck! All I can tell you is - DON"T use shroud extenders! I had mine dismast in choppy conditions- after extending the shroud the wire which was supposed to retain the mast in the step snapped, and down came the mast! This was only the second time I had used the extenders. I had to gather up my sails (with 2 broken battens) and swim 2 + miles to shore. I think I'd stick to the bucket
Dave

I've been solo sailing an H16 for quite a few years and I love to fly the hull so I've knocked it over a lot. I've found the righting line is only effective when you have a crew. I used 2 small Murray righting buckets on the end of an old boom vang block and tackle (any small cleating block set would work). The other end is clipped to the upright on the dolphin striker. After I'm upon the bottom hull I undo the buckets (rolled up and stuck in the front tramp laces) and throw them over the upper hull. Fill both buckets as full as possible then shorten the line with the block set. It needs to be as short as possible because as soon as the bags hit the water you loose that weight. Get your shoulder under the bags and lean back holding onto the line (locate it under the shroud to get the right balance point). Once you get the line adjusted to the right length it works very well.
Good Luck,
Ken Mcg

One very important thing I forgot to mention is you need to uncleat your sails so they don'd try to lift any water with them. I have a quick disconnect pin on a lanyard on the traveler for the main sheet and another quick release pin on a lanyard for connecting the double block to the jib clew. You don't want to lose those pins out in the water.
Good luck,
Ken Mcg

Thanks for the tip. I never thought about clipping it onto the dolphin striker. The lead on my bucket is a static 10' long (to the blocks) with an s-hook on it. I always clipped it onto the righting line and have to shorten up the lead to get any height using the blocks. I, too, uncleat my sails, but I haven't actually released the pins on the blocks. I will keep that in mind.

A couple of things...what did you mean by "locate the line under the shroud?" Traditionally, I have tried to keep my pulling effort as close to the front beam as possible so I am pulling directly against the mast (rather than further aft where I think you would waste some of your effort - this happened once when my righting line was not wrapped outside my shrouds - but thats another story).

I've normally been around 175 but am now 160. The attachment point is critical. It's solid on the dolphin striker and you can flip it over the top hull, port or starboard from there. Attaching it to the righting line will allow it to get too much slack in it. Mine is a Hawian type with bungee cords. As far as the location just get it where it centers your pull and doesn't start slipping forward or aft as the boat starts to right. Unpinning the blocks is much safer than just uncleating. 1 when uncleated the sheets can still tangle and allow the sail to set when upright and a hobie without a crew going down the lake is not a good thing. 2. When unpinned the sails will not lift "any" water and that 's how much you want to lift. The buckets make a good anchor till you get the sails and sheets re-organized so don't pull them up till your ready to take off again. The shortest line possible is the real trick, adjust the fixed line so it leaves you just enough length to fill the buckets when the block is extended then haul up the block till the bags are way up in the air and get your shoulder under them, lean back and up it comes. Works for me.
Good Luck,
Ken Mcg

I recently flipped (and Partially turtled) my 16 when i was by myself. Kind of a scarey thing, but I did not panic.

I have a righting back, but I could not adjust the line correctly so it did not work. I even had the masthead about 4-5 feet underwater.

I'm still not sure how I did this, but I was able to walk with the righting line as far back on the cat as I could, and as I sunk the transom, and jumped onto the rear crossbar, the cat went completely turtle but with the bows up, kind of like one of those dolphin tricks at Sea World hi hi. Anyways with the momentum I completely brought the boat capsized on the other side. With the mast up out of the water, I was able to sail the boat on it's side with the tramp on to the lee shore of the bay.

Then I just walked the mast up using the shrouds, and once the boat was back up, I hopped on and went out for some more fun

That day was fairly windy too, everyone else had 2 or three people on their cats. My friend was there to get pictures (Though he got none of the capsize ), so I felt very proud..

Good morning! Great tips being posted here. I would like to chime in on the use of the solo-upright extenders please.
With the bucket, a hawaiian style cord and my extenders I was able to upright my 16 even at a mere 130-140 lbs. My other option for weight was a lead shot filled diving belt (from my SCUBA stuff) that I kept on board to wear on really windy days - belt = another 30 lbs.

However- back to the extender- I never experienced a dismasting. I took the system from my 16 over to my 17 where it works even better since I am always solo on my 17. It's use requires a little practice. It also requires the correct set up with the head of the quick release pins facing inboard-so you can reach UP and pop it out (if they face outboard you have to climb up on the upper hull and pull up- almost impossible - believe me ) When the boat comes up the mast should be held tightly by the WINDWARD shroud. It is IMPORTANT to stay on that tack, with the un-shortened shroud taking the load (as it NORMALLY would under power). The lengthened shroud is flopping away to leeward. Do not sheet in too tightly. Now here is the tricky part when you are solo- keep the course while you pin the loosened shroud back into the adjuster. You may not get it at the rake angle you prefer, but once it is back in place you may come-about and sail away.

Free to flip another day

I'm hitting the slopes now so, happy sails to those of you in warmer climes

_________________The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

When it comes to capsizing and the righting afterwards it is all about technique. I recommend to read and occasionally reread the chapter on righting in the common literature…(e.g. Catamaran Sailing: From Start to Finish, or even better … Catamaran Racing: For the 90's)

Generally speaking… wind speeds that cause you to capsize typically allow you to right the cat solo (>15mph). In reality you probably aren't going over when the winds are light. But even for those days you should be equipped (Solo Right, water bucket, shroud extenders and righting pole will do the job). You will one day or the other go over when there is wind and waves. If you don't go over at some point, you ain't sailing hard enough, or you avoid wind speeds over 15 mph. Practicing righting your Hobie is a good idea: Once you have the general move down practice the righting under "realistic" conditions.

In a few words…. with the downed-boat it will be your goal to move the boat so that the mast of your Hobie points about 45 degrees INTO the wind (or perpendicular to it). There are a variety of ways to do this. Initially I used to move the boat by “swimming” the bows into the right position. This is not only quiet wet it is very hard and you might want to save some juice for the actual righting. Later I learned what the authors in the before mentioned literature described by recommending to weight down the bows allowing the stern to come out of the water, while at the same time the boat will start moving the mast towards the wind. Once this position is reached the trampoline and the boat itself will act as sails being blown towards the righting direction. Waves help break the suction between main sail and water and the wind also works it's way under the sail to help lift it. The stronger the wind is the more you will depend on this technique. At 20mph you can use a pole and a couple of water bags and you will not be able to right the Hobie if your mast does not point the right way.

Brent... From how you are describing the situation I assume your Hobie was never turtled (not even partially turtled)... A capsized Hobie 16 (with a sealed mast) will float on one hull submerging the mast tip about 4 feet deep. The mast will be in the water to the point where the shrouds are attached to the mast. "Rotating" a capsized Hobie from one hull to the other by submerging the stern, pointing the bows into the air and assisting the boat to come up on the other side can be helpful if this results in a situation where the boat afterwards points in a good angle towards the wind.
Turtleing is a completely different deal - I have never done it - in theory I know how to fix it - as a single sailor it might be very difficult to right a Hobie 16 from a turtled position.

Trust me, I've been sailing since the age of 5 beginning with sabots, then lasers, and catamarans. I know the difference between a capsize and a turtle, and I tell you that cat turtled ( Check out the link below, and see the 5 inches or so of Mission Bay mud on the top of the mast), which mostly ended up on my shirt.

There was so much mud in the sail track, we couldnt get the sail down, and I had to pull the boat off onto the grass, and capsize it on the grass and pull the sail down by hand. Not much fun.

Though it was funny, I had to park the trailer in a red zone, and as soon as I did, everyone decided to park next to me to use it as a prep area.. I am such a bad influence.